Japanese|日本語

Wishing for peace in daily life and thinking of our predecessors

higan
  • Higan-bana | Red Spider Lily
  • Around the time of the autumnal equinox, flowering stems grow out of the ground, and large red flowers bloom at the tips of the stems. They bloom in clusters in the same place because they multiply by underground stems. After the flowers wither, the leaves grow around October, wither in the next early summer, and bloom again around the time of the autumnal equinox.
    Because the underground stem (bulb) is highly poisonous, it is often planted around rice paddies and fields to repel moles and rats, and because of their deep connection with Buddhism, they are often planted in temples and cemeteries. It is a plant brought from China, and most of those introduced to Japan grow only on underground stems, so it is clear that there is human activity where Red Spider Lilies grow.

    In Japan, it has an ominous image, but I think your perspective will change if you consider the thoughts of the person who planted it.

    higan
    higan
    higan higan

    After the flowers are over, the leaves come out and store nutrients in the bulbs for flowering once they die back in the summer.

    fuji